1 00:00:10,64 --> 00:00:13,22 In the picture we are about to say we must remember 2 00:00:13,22 --> 00:00:19,93 that the explosive power of atomic bombs used in this test was in the kiloton range. 3 00:00:19,95 --> 00:00:26,25 The explosive power of today's hydrogen bomb is measured in terms of megatons What 4 00:00:26,25 --> 00:00:30,81 does that mean to us. It's a matter of practical application. 5 00:00:31,18 --> 00:00:35,14 It takes one thousand tons to equal one megaton 6 00:00:36,42 --> 00:00:41,45 and by applying the scaling laws the proportionate comparative effect of a larger 7 00:00:41,45 --> 00:00:42,73 bomb can be determined. 8 00:00:45,14 --> 00:00:51,33 The A bomb exploded here was rated at approximately thirty kilotons for comparison 9 00:00:52,05 --> 00:00:55,35 Reggio is a twenty megaton H. Bomb. 10 00:00:55,36 --> 00:01:00,58 The twenty megaton bomb therefore would be six hundred sixty seven times as strong 11 00:01:01,46 --> 00:01:04,21 as a thirty kiloton bomb. 12 00:01:05,03 --> 00:01:08,38 The relationship between distance for any given pressure 13 00:01:08,38 --> 00:01:13,04 and the size of nuclear weapons follows the cube root scaling law. 14 00:01:14,24 --> 00:01:19,16 So theoretically hydrogen bomb of twenty megatons at approximately eight 15 00:01:19,16 --> 00:01:24,10 and a half miles. Would have about the same destructive power as an atomic bomb 16 00:01:24,10 --> 00:01:29,54 or thirty killing tonge at one mile. In this test. 17 00:01:29,56 --> 00:01:35,45 Many of the structures were approximately one mile from ground zero in the case of 18 00:01:35,45 --> 00:01:37,88 a twenty megaton H. Bomb explosion. 19 00:01:38,00 --> 00:01:41,11 Most of these structures are undoubtedly would be obliterated. 20 00:01:42,41 --> 00:01:46,47 And actually at a distance of eight and a half to nine miles from Ground Zero. 21 00:01:46,92 --> 00:01:49,92 With the longer duration of blast pressure. 22 00:01:50,60 --> 00:01:54,76 We could expect to find conditions even more severe than those 23 00:01:54,76 --> 00:02:01,04 that run a mile from ground zero in this fashion. That's atomic test. 24 00:02:01,12 --> 00:02:06,13 Although detecting the surveyor effect of a nuclear weapon does not reflect the 25 00:02:06,13 --> 00:02:08,18 extent and severity of destruction 26 00:02:08,94 --> 00:02:12,87 that would result from a nuclear weapon in the multi megaton range 27 00:02:30,19 --> 00:02:32,98 here at the Atomic Energy Commission Nevada test site. 28 00:02:33,36 --> 00:02:39,48 I covered the story of Operation a cousin to test the effect of an atomic blast 29 00:02:40,35 --> 00:02:42,71 upon the things we use in our everyday life 30 00:03:00,87 --> 00:03:06,49 operation Q The atomic test program of the Federal Civil Defense administration as 31 00:03:06,49 --> 00:03:13,43 seen by Joan Collins a reporter I had the operation to do 32 00:03:13,43 --> 00:03:15,11 many not only my own 33 00:03:15,96 --> 00:03:19,20 but as a reporter through the eyes of the average American man 34 00:03:19,20 --> 00:03:24,51 and woman I arrived a civil defense headquarters the day before the explosion with 35 00:03:24,51 --> 00:03:25,39 scheduled to take place 36 00:03:26,57 --> 00:03:31,86 and checked in at one with the official who was to brief me about the camp to give 37 00:03:31,86 --> 00:03:36,53 me a perspective of the entire layout a member of the civil defense staff showed me 38 00:03:36,53 --> 00:03:40,91 a carefully prepared model of the site that scope of the test 39 00:03:40,91 --> 00:03:43,27 and the detailed care with which it had been planned 40 00:03:43,27 --> 00:03:46,14 and made me as I listen to the explanation. 41 00:03:47,50 --> 00:03:51,05 We begin with the question of shelter or shelter might save our lives. 42 00:03:51,50 --> 00:03:53,31 If we were far enough away from Ground Zero. 43 00:03:54,38 --> 00:03:59,85 If so what kinds of shelter are effective several kinds are to be tested. 44 00:04:00,00 --> 00:04:05,18 From elaborate industrial shelters to the box type shelter in the corner room of 45 00:04:05,18 --> 00:04:10,19 the basement this type would give more room for a family especially if it were 46 00:04:10,19 --> 00:04:12,16 necessary to remain there for several days 47 00:04:17,25 --> 00:04:20,94 in this frame house without a basement at the forty seven hundred foot line. 48 00:04:21,16 --> 00:04:25,58 We will test a bathroom shelter built of reinforced concrete the entrance door 49 00:04:25,58 --> 00:04:29,19 and outside window covering are designed to resist blast. 50 00:04:30,81 --> 00:04:32,77 I asked about the possible loss of utility 51 00:04:33,69 --> 00:04:37,37 and what they would need to know enough to keep a running home 52 00:04:37,37 --> 00:04:43,57 or an investor help from loss of power may be one of our biggest problems after an 53 00:04:43,57 --> 00:04:47,50 attack power poles power lines pole transformers 54 00:04:47,50 --> 00:04:51,33 and complete substations are to be tested by the Edison Institute. 55 00:04:52,17 --> 00:04:56,10 How will they withstand this blast. How long will it take to make repairs. 56 00:04:57,24 --> 00:05:01,99 How soon can service be reestablished these are things we hope to learn from the 57 00:05:01,99 --> 00:05:08,76 past one complete transformer substation has been erected relatively 58 00:05:08,76 --> 00:05:12,59 close to the shock tower a second substation 59 00:05:12,59 --> 00:05:16,10 and power lines have been placed at a much greater distance from the towers. 60 00:05:18,33 --> 00:05:20,83 Thinking about you during an atomic attack. 61 00:05:20,96 --> 00:05:27,83 I asked about radio towers two kinds are to be tested one tower is self-supporting 62 00:05:27,83 --> 00:05:33,19 without guy wires the other has supporting cables both types are very common 63 00:05:36,13 --> 00:05:40,74 nearby a complete radio transmitter will actually broadcast from tape before the 64 00:05:40,74 --> 00:05:46,87 shock to be picked up by radios in the test houses most liquefied petroleum 65 00:05:46,87 --> 00:05:49,85 and natural gas facilities will be tested. 66 00:05:51,08 --> 00:05:51,66 When the fittings 67 00:05:51,66 --> 00:05:57,62 and connections stand the test will there be fires all equipment is in stone 68 00:05:57,62 --> 00:05:59,82 and checked by technical experts from. 69 00:06:00,00 --> 00:06:01,55 LP Gas Association 70 00:06:01,55 --> 00:06:07,00 and the American Gas Association an eighteen thousand gallon supply tank partially 71 00:06:07,00 --> 00:06:12,77 filled with propane and complete with feed pipes awaiting and storage house 72 00:06:12,77 --> 00:06:15,79 and delivery platform have been erected on the test site. 73 00:06:21,56 --> 00:06:27,56 I was anxious to learn all I could about the various types of how to the five types 74 00:06:27,56 --> 00:06:31,46 of prepared bricks poser to the blast and heat of this atomic explosion. 75 00:06:32,26 --> 00:06:36,18 First a single storey frame Rambler without basement built on a concrete slab 76 00:06:37,10 --> 00:06:41,90 second a two storey masonry with basement constructed of brick backed with four 77 00:06:41,90 --> 00:06:46,92 inch cinder blocks fired a house of eight inch concrete blocks reinforced with 78 00:06:46,92 --> 00:06:52,49 steel the fourth type is a single storey Rambler made of precast lightweight 79 00:06:52,49 --> 00:06:54,71 concrete walls 80 00:06:54,72 --> 00:06:57,84 and roof panels were joined by welding steel luggage 81 00:06:59,69 --> 00:07:03,31 that protest the five hundred foot line is a redesigned house similar to one 82 00:07:03,31 --> 00:07:07,99 previously tested this new design provides additional strength at a cost increase 83 00:07:07,99 --> 00:07:10,85 of approximately ten percent. 84 00:07:11,90 --> 00:07:17,31 That's the real purpose of testing these houses to find their weak points through 85 00:07:17,32 --> 00:07:18,64 the cooperation of the furniture 86 00:07:18,64 --> 00:07:22,95 and appliances industries household furnishings were installed in the houses 87 00:07:24,50 --> 00:07:28,57 mannequin families supplied by private industry are to represent Mr 88 00:07:28,57 --> 00:07:35,51 and Mrs America interior home furnishings donated by 89 00:07:35,51 --> 00:07:37,67 eighty three are complete in every detail. 90 00:07:39,55 --> 00:07:46,02 I looked at the mannequin sitting about so naturally I was very 91 00:07:46,02 --> 00:07:48,88 interested in preparation for the testing of textiles 92 00:07:48,88 --> 00:07:55,48 and confetti fabric rows of mannequins were set up in the open pacing the 93 00:07:55,48 --> 00:07:59,93 blast each item of clothing and each color had been care. 94 00:08:00,00 --> 00:08:02,89 Well a selected to give much needed survival information. 95 00:08:05,24 --> 00:08:09,47 I was especially interested in the food ten thousand cans in packaged food 96 00:08:09,47 --> 00:08:11,38 that to be tested as a mother 97 00:08:11,38 --> 00:08:17,29 and housewife this appealed to me I had several question to ask Would food in the 98 00:08:17,29 --> 00:08:23,22 average home be safe to eat after a black food testing in operation Q. 99 00:08:23,22 --> 00:08:24,93 Is planned to answer this 100 00:08:24,93 --> 00:08:31,19 and other vital questions some votes are to be tested in the house stored in the 101 00:08:31,19 --> 00:08:37,88 usual way other foods including fresh meat spotter 102 00:08:37,88 --> 00:08:42,34 and similar perishables are to be tested just below the level of the ground at 103 00:08:42,34 --> 00:08:44,79 three positions along the main test line. 104 00:08:44,97 --> 00:08:49,94 This will expose the food to high intensity radiation without risking destruction 105 00:08:49,94 --> 00:08:55,39 of the containers test items include sterilized foods packaged in cartons metal 106 00:08:55,39 --> 00:08:57,97 and glass all will be exposed. 107 00:08:57,99 --> 00:09:04,74 According to plan to give us the most viable information the night of the 108 00:09:04,74 --> 00:09:11,39 actual explosion are rather early in the morning came at last on media Hill 109 00:09:11,39 --> 00:09:15,06 television equipment was ready to bring the test into home from coast to coast 110 00:09:16,27 --> 00:09:18,72 reporters commentators military 111 00:09:18,72 --> 00:09:23,82 and civil defense observers all had a purpose to study the result of this explosion 112 00:09:25,06 --> 00:09:30,05 at a position a mile forward for media Hill is civil defense field exercise group 113 00:09:30,05 --> 00:09:34,99 had assembled with their equipment. 114 00:09:38,31 --> 00:09:42,77 As small group of civil defense Nolen two years work of occupy a trench relatively 115 00:09:42,77 --> 00:09:49,13 close to Ground Zero on media here over I remain there with hot coffee last minute 116 00:09:49,13 --> 00:09:50,91 briefing and more wait. 117 00:09:52,35 --> 00:09:58,88 But it seems no time at all before the loud speaker warned by us what what are your. 118 00:10:00,00 --> 00:10:00,51 Sir. 119 00:10:00,86 --> 00:10:07,78 Without the fuss away from the blast on the silent doesn't the test object. 120 00:10:07,85 --> 00:10:13,21 Wait a minute. Ten seconds. 121 00:10:14,84 --> 00:10:21,23 Seven six three two 122 00:10:23,44 --> 00:10:25,13 zero. 123 00:11:15,93 --> 00:11:17,37 Twenty four hour is a nap. 124 00:11:17,49 --> 00:11:20,88 People always are committed to you at first in the south 125 00:11:20,88 --> 00:11:27,88 and let's see how the blast 126 00:11:27,88 --> 00:11:31,37 effect of the houses. This is what remained of the masonry house 127 00:11:31,37 --> 00:11:32,78 that was not reinforced. 128 00:11:45,43 --> 00:11:49,84 This is the house constructed of reinforced concrete blocks after the explosion. 129 00:11:52,10 --> 00:11:56,35 Although the redesigned two story frame house was severely damaged the structural 130 00:11:56,35 --> 00:11:59,21 improvements that strengthen this resistance considerably. 131 00:12:02,54 --> 00:12:06,48 As seen here although basement shelters offered some degree of protection they 132 00:12:06,49 --> 00:12:13,22 cannot be depended upon completely in potential blast areas the reinforced bathroom 133 00:12:13,22 --> 00:12:16,03 shell there was standing intact beneath the ruins of the house. 134 00:12:16,09 --> 00:12:22,63 So this type also offered some degree of protection. 135 00:12:24,04 --> 00:12:28,44 The upper section of one on guide radio tower collapsed from the tremendous force 136 00:12:28,44 --> 00:12:33,80 of the blast the guide tower was slightly twisted by a power pole which fell across 137 00:12:33,80 --> 00:12:40,24 one of the guy wires within the concrete radio House equipment had been shaken up. 138 00:12:40,45 --> 00:12:46,11 But as soon as power was restarted the transmitter resumed broadcasting the 139 00:12:46,11 --> 00:12:52,15 eighteen thousand gallon tank of liquefied petroleum gas was undamaged tests show 140 00:12:52,15 --> 00:12:53,89 that even the connections were intact. 141 00:12:55,01 --> 00:12:57,66 The weighing them storage house was scattered across the desert 142 00:12:58,41 --> 00:13:02,95 but the consumer sized tanks were on our power lines 143 00:13:02,95 --> 00:13:04,89 and Transformers suffered some damage 144 00:13:05,71 --> 00:13:09,22 but most of the power poles were still standing or could be repaired 145 00:13:09,22 --> 00:13:13,90 and the power substation was not seriously high 146 00:13:13,90 --> 00:13:17,82 and Edison Institute personnel tested all lines 147 00:13:17,82 --> 00:13:23,34 and found the station to be operated the food 148 00:13:23,34 --> 00:13:26,97 and cases of canned goods were taken away for laboratory tests. 149 00:13:30,91 --> 00:13:36,13 Do you remember this young lady because to Mike Matheny the doctor 150 00:13:40,48 --> 00:13:41,36 and this young man. 151 00:13:42,29 --> 00:13:49,14 This is how the black child in pay to be added a revenue doxies during 152 00:13:49,15 --> 00:13:53,41 all this activity the mass beating group with improvising to feed the task of being 153 00:13:57,23 --> 00:13:59,00 I think ticking and he remembered them really. 154 00:14:00,00 --> 00:14:00,90 When done to perfection 155 00:14:00,90 --> 00:14:04,78 and roasted in Cannes which could have been south each been demolished building. 156 00:14:09,38 --> 00:14:11,48 I watched the people eating and realized 157 00:14:11,48 --> 00:14:14,80 that mass beating is an important job in civil defense. 158 00:14:17,43 --> 00:14:19,68 I took a last look at the debris and devastation. 159 00:14:20,33 --> 00:14:26,01 This time it would only attack a well planned not a real attack. 160 00:14:26,90 --> 00:14:30,24 It was a test of the things we knew in everyday life 161 00:14:33,90 --> 00:14:37,75 many lessons were learned from this task that affect civil defense planning 162 00:14:38,67 --> 00:14:39,71 and it must be borne in mind 163 00:14:40,53 --> 00:14:45,06 that multi megaton weapons would result in much greater damage over a larger area 164 00:14:46,33 --> 00:14:51,98 all these factors must be considered as we plan for the survival of our homes our 165 00:14:51,99 --> 00:14:52,77 families 166 00:14:52,77 --> 00:15:04,70 and our nation in the new player whose.